Any reason not to keep nighttime temp over 80?

[DovahDad]

As the title suggests, I'm wondering if there's any health/well-being reason not to keep a beardie's viv at around 80 or a bit higher at night. I've been keeping my UV light and basking light on a timer that shuts off at night, but the heat emitter remains on at all times. The house is about 68 F and the cage stays around 68 if nothing is turned on.

So does anyone have an opinion whether I should just shut everything off at night, or if it's okay to leave on the emitter? Thanks!

 

[CooperDragon]

68 should be OK for overnight temps. I use a CHE in the winter nights because my house temps go down to 55-60 at night (I like cold) but I turn it off all summer (70s at night). Having a slight temperature drop at night is natural for them - that's what happens at night in the wild.

 

[DovahDad]

Thanks for the advice. I figured it would be natural for the temperatures to fall to at least 68, and based on my reading Central Australia can actually get much cooler than that at night. Maybe I will unplug his CHE at night from now own, to mimic his natural habitat.

Still though, I wonder if there's any indication that a temp in the 80s at night is actually harmful to dragons in any way. Is anyone aware of any literature on the effects of a warmer nighttime temperature? Could it actually be beneficial to keep the night temp warm (but not hot)?

 

[Taterbug]

The general idea is that cooler temps help slow them down and sleep better - but I'm not sure that's actually documented in literature. you could try offering a warmer retreat at night and also a cooler one and see If your dragon favors one or the other.

It would be nice to know where dragons actually overnight and what the temps are like, so far I've not found much detail. Some species overnight up in trees, while others might use burrows - two pretty different environments as far as temperatures go. I think your on the right path though, I provide a night drop for my guy - some nights he sleeps out in the open where it's upper 60s, others in his hide that stays around 80-85 well into the night.

 

[DovahDad]

Interesting. I hadn't thought of trying that experiment, but I think I already do exactly what you suggest - his preferred side of the viv is about 84 at night, while the side without the CHE is about 70. He always sleeps either on his log or on/under a washcloth in the warm side. In fact he never ventures to the cool side except when chasing crickets. If that's not a statement of his sleeping preferences, I don't know what is!

 

[Taterbug]

What's the cool side temp during the day?

 

[DovahDad]

If memory serves it's high 70s air temp, while the warm side air temp is mid to high 80s. His basking spot on the log is around 113.

 

[Taterbug]

That sounds good. Sometimes avoiding the cool side can mean it's too cool - but it could also be that you just don't catch him when he is over there.

 

[DovahDad]

Hmm. I'm going home on lunch momentarily and will check his cool side temp again. I mean, we've never caught him over there, suggesting he doesn't like that side for some reason. Granted, there are no features like logs or rocks over there at all, but I'm not sure if that's a cause or effect of him never venturing over there. I should probably add a rock or something and see if he uses it.

 

[CooperDragon]

I wasn't able to observe any dragons so I can't say if they burrow or hide in bushes, etc. The nighttime (late spring) temps in Adelaide went down into the 50s. My guess is that they hide in caves and/or burrows of some sort overnight and during the heat of the day based on the landscape I saw. If you set up a webcam you'll probably see all kinds of behavior you don't see while you're away over the course of the day.

 

[DovahDad]

If you set up a webcam you'll probably see all kinds of behavior you don't see while you're away over the course of the day.

Now there's a fun idea! I may pick up a cheap webcam and try to get it streaming. Who knows what he gets up to while we're away...

 

[Taterbug]

I have used the time lapse function on my iPad too - my guy is way more active than I previously gave him credit for. And that was just when I was home but not watching him.

 

[CooperDragon]

That time lapse video was very cool. He moved around a LOT during the day. I still want to try one of those with Dundee.